1. The Odyssey Unit Introduction
Mr. Jun

3. Basic Background Information
The Odyssey is an Ancient Greek epic poem written by Homer around 900 or 700 B.C.
epic: long narrative poem about a hero who embodies a culture/civilization’s values
Second oldest western written work ever! (second only to another book by Homer, Illiad)
Captures an epic hero’s 10-year journey back to Ithaca in Greece after fighting in the Trojan War
Fictional, but weaves historical events into story
Product of Greek oral tradition
Long poems were memorized and recited
Poems perfected over years

4. Who is Homer? Poet who lived around 8th century B.C.
No definite historical evidence for his existence
Might be a legend
Some believe he was a blind poet from the island of Chios, others believe “he” is a collection of poets
There was no written history during Homer’s time, so he might have been a rhapsode
Someone who memorized and recited poetry, history and mythology (religion for the Greeks at the time)

5. The Illiad The epic poem that precedes the The Odyssey
Poem about a 10-year war between Greeks and Trojans outside the city of Troy
Poem is set during the final year of the war
War starts when Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta, runs off with Paris, a prince of Troy
Greeks band together to get revenge
Greeks send 1000 ships across Aegean Sea to attack Troy
Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior, is part of siege

8. The Illiad continued…
Odysseus devises plan to leave an enormous wooden horse filled with Greek soldiers at Troy’s gates
Greek soldiers not in horse hide to trick Trojans into believing they retreated
Trojans think the horse is a peace offering, or sign of surrender, and bring it into the city
Greek soldiers in the horse come out of horse while Trojans are celebrating and open gates for army
Trojans are slaughtered and Troy is burned to the ground

10. The Odyssey Background Information
Greek heroes: considered to be aristocrats (higher class)
Above ordinary men but below the gods
Perseus beheads Medusa

11. The Odyssey Background Information Continued…
The narrative structure is not chronological
Odysseus, the protagonist and hero in The Odyssey, wants to go home to Penelope and Telemachus, his wife and son, but must struggle against or with:
unfair authorities, especially the gods
nature
monsters
choice
disrespect from civilians (people who are not soldiers)
a soldier’s transition back to “normal life”
hopeless, fatigue, sadness
inner balance and peace
his own foolishness and that of others

12. The Odyssey Background Information Continued…
gods:
Athena, goddess of wisdom
Poseidon, god of sea and earthquakes
The reader can interpret gods as reflections of Odysseus’s identity, problems, self, etc.
Athena helping Odysseus can mean that he is intelligent and clever
Poseidon disrupting Odysseus’s journey can mean that he is not mentally and emotionally stable enough after the war to return home
monsters:
Polyphemus, the Cyclops
Calypso,, Circe, the nymphs
Scylla, six-headed monster
The Sirens, women on an island who lure men